The Western Tidewater Walk to End Alzheimer’s is continuing its food-themed fundraisers with a chili cook-off at the Lake Prince Woods Retirement Community on Aug. 31.

The event will give attendees the chance to try chili from Suffolk eateries like Harper’s Table, Baron’s Pub, Constance Wharf Grill, Mason’s Grill and Smokehouse. The chef at Lake Prince Woods will also participate.

The Friday kicking off Labor Day weekend is always the day of the event, and Denise Brown, event chairman, thought chili was an appropriate meal to celebrate the holiday.

“I was just thinking about a food that everyone loved, and it was funny because Labor Day weekend was the weekend we were always doing it,” Brown said. “The Friday kicking off Labor Day weekend fit perfectly with chili.”

Some competitors even bring sides like cornbread or grilled onions to go along with their chili.

This is the fifth year they have held this competition, and Brown said the participating chefs are starting to get even more competitive this year.

“There is some smack talk going on right now,” Brown said. “They even want a traveling trophy for the winner to keep in their restaurant until the next year.”

The human resources department at Lake Prince Woods is currently making a trophy for the occasion, Brown said.

Since the competition is heating up, there is a chance the chili will continue to get more creative than in past years.

In past years, there has been a white chili and even a vegetarian chili made with pumpkin.

Brown hopes plenty of residents come out to participate. In the past, they tend to get around 40 to 50 people.

“We need folks to come out and support, because there are bragging rights on the line,” Brown said.

Those that want to come and judge the chili just have to pay $5. They will get a poker chip to drop in their favorite chef’s jar.

Lake Prince Woods will be providing sweet treats like brownies and cookies along with lemonade to keep cool.

The participants are working to raise a total of $85,800 before the walk on Sept. 15. They have reached 25 percent of their fundraising goal with $21,658 raised by 147 participants and 44 teams.

Individual fundraising efforts are heating up as they work towards their goal. Brown said some of the teams are becoming competitive, like the five different teams from Edward Jones.

The walk will be held at 8:30 a.m. Sept. 15 at Constant’s Wharf, 110 E. Constance Road. For more information, visit alz.org.